The decision on entry into force of the EU Association Agreements with the Republic of Moldova, beginning with 1 July, was approved at the seventh ministerial meeting of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) of May 23, 2016.

Thus, the General Secretariat of the EU Council, as depository of the Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova, on the one hand, and the European Union on the other hand, signed in Brussels on 27 June 2014 (the Association Agreement), communicated that the Association Agreement will enter into force on 1 July 2016.

The Association Agreement comes to replace the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and its Member States, on the one hand, and the Republic of Moldova, on the other hand, signed in Brussels on 28 November 1994 and entered into force on 1 July 1998.

Also from 1 July 2016, the Association Agreement replaces the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova on the Protection of Geographical Indications of Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs, signed on 26 June 2012 in Brussels and entered into force on 1 April 2013.

Intellectual property rights are reflected in the Association Agreement with other sectors aimed at commercial aspects of the relationship between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union and are part of Title V “Trade and Trade-Related Aspects”, aimed at the establishment of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA Agreement).

DCFTA Agreement provides the Republic of Moldova with the framework for modernizing and strengthening its economic and commercial relations thanks to the opening of the EU market by excluding customs duties and export quotas, but also by embracing harmonization of laws, rules and regulations of the Republic of Moldova with EU law, ensuring alignment of key economic sectors to European standards.

Intellectual property rights are covered in Chapter 9 (Articles 277-332) of Title V, which covers all aspects of IP rights related to trade and reflects the entire spectrum of commitments made by the EU and the Republic of Moldova in the TRIPs Agreement.

Having as the main objectives the facilitation of the production and marketing of innovative and creative products and also the achievement of an adequate and effective level of protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, Chapter 9 incorporates in four distinct sections all trade-related aspects of intellectual property, including the nature, purpose, protection, enforcement and exhaustion of intellectual property rights.